WEBVTT REPORTER: THIS VOLUNTEER FIREDEPARTMENT SERVES MUCH OF RURALNORTHWEST SCOTT COUNTY.BUT FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARSTHEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITHOUT 2FIRE TRUCKS AFTER THEY WERREPOSSESSED.THEIR ATTORNEY SAYS THEDEPARTMENT WAS TAKEN ADVANTAGEOF AND A JUDGE AND JURY AGREED.>> I HOPE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'SABLE TO GET EVERY DIME THEY'REENTITLED TO BECAUSE THEY DESERVEIT.REPORTER: ACCORDING TO COURTRECORDS THE NORTHWEST SCOTTCOUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT BORROWED$90,000 FOR A NEW FIRE TRUCK.RECORDS SHOW INTEREST ALONE WASMORE THAN $76,000 AND THECOLLATERAL WAS 7 MORE FIRETRUCKS.WHEN THE DEPARTMENT COULDN'T PAYTHE COMPANY REPOSSESSED A PUMPERTRUCK AND A RESCUE TRUCK THATHAD LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT LIKETHE JAWS OF LIFE.THE LAWSUIT SAID THE FIRFIGHTERS WERE MISLED AND DID NOTHAVE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTANDTHE AGREEMENT.>> THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS HAVEBEEN MORE INVESTED IN MAKINGSURE YOU'RE SAFE THAN THEY HAVEBEEN IN BEING EDUCATED.THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTSAVING YOUR LIFE.REPORTER: A JUDGE AND JURYAGREED, AWARDING THE FIREDEPARTMENT APPROXIMATELY $1.75MILLION.BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE STILL OUTFIRE TRUCKS AND THE MONEY.>> IT WILL PROBABLY BE HARD TOCOLLECT A DIME FROM THIS GUY, HELIVES AND I THINK WORKS OUT OFILLINOIS.PEOPLE LIKE THAT ARE INVARIABLYHARD TO COLLECT FROM.REPORTER: TODAY I CALLED THEOWNER OF THE COMPANY IN ILLINOISBUT HE HAS NOT CALLED ME BACK.IN SCOTT COUNTY BRETT RAINS

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Scott Co. Fire Dept. awarded $1.75 million in fire truck repo lawsuit

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Updated: 7:28 PM CDT Apr 3, 2017

WALDRON, Ark. —

The Northwest Scott County Fire Dept. might not get any of the $1.75 million it was awarded in a lawsuit over repossessed fire trucks.

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"I hope the fire department is able to get every dime they're entitled to because they deserve it, " said Attorney Derick Allison.

According to the lawsuit, the fire department borrowed $90,000 from First Government Lease Co., located in Northfield, Illinois to purchase a brush truck which also served as a rescue truck equipped with life saving equipment like "jaws of life".

Court records show interest on the loan was $76,500 and the collateral listed was seven additional fire trucks.

When the department defaulted on payments a pumper truck, valued at more the $200,000 was repossessed as well as the rescue truck.

The leasing company sued the rural fire department. But, in a counter suit Attorney Derick Allison claimed the fire firefighters were misled and did not understand the agreement that was signed.

"Their (fire fighters) time and efforts have been more invested in making sure you're safe than they have been in being educated," Allison said. "They're people who are out saving your life."

Allison did not face much opposition in court. The attorney for the leasing company did not appear in court until closing arguments.

The jury sided with the rural fire department, awarding them $1.75 million.

Currently though, the department is still without the money and without the two fire trucks.

"It will probably be hard to collect a dime from this guy, he lives and works out of Illinois," Allison said. "People like that are invariably hard to collect from."

Court records list Paul Graver as the president of First Government Lease Co.. Graver did not return calls seeking comment to 40/29 News.